Stack dumper



Aug. I6, 1938. H. PAXTON STACK DUMPER Filed Sept. 24, 1935 4Sheets-Sheet 1 N NR v WW #41! 24x74 Aug. 16, 1938.

H. PAXTO'N STACK DUMPER Filed Sept. 24, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Q Q Q NQQO A fix w mm N: o H. I\\ Q 0 MW '0 H 0 o WM 17) 1 i a R. 3

H. PAXTON STACK DUMPER Filed Sept. 24, 1:935 I 17 Lu Aug. 16, 1938.

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug, 16, 1938 H. PAXTON STACK DUMPER Filed Sept. 24,1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 V Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES suck pumaHale Paxton, Santa mesne assignments,

toFood pontion, a corporation of Delaware Calif ossignor, b MachineryGor- Application September 24, 1935, Serial No. 41391 20 Claim- Myinvention relates to the art of dumping the contents from loadedcontainers and has particular utility in the citrus industry in handlingstacks of loaded fruit from each box in the stack.

Citrus fruits when picked from the trees are placed in heavilyconstructed containers known as field boxes, in which the fruit istransported from the groves to the packing house where it remains inthese iield boxes for temporary storage with the latter piled up instacks, usually of six boxes each, until the time arrives for preparingand packing the fruit for shipment. when that time arrives, the stacksof field boxes have to be unstacked and the fruit dumped from each boxonto a conveyor which carries it to the first of a series of soaking,washing, drying and polishing units by which the fruit is prepared forfinal packing into shipping boxes The machines in present use forunpacking fleid boxes and dumping the fruit therefrom, are commonlyknown as stack dumpers. ilhese machines receive each and elevate ittherefrom and dumped by paratus when it reaches a certain elevation.Because of the height of these stacks and the mode of operation of thesemachines, it becomes necessary to perform the dumping operation on thefloor above that on which the machine is located and on which itreceives the stack. limits the utility as in many of the packing housesfacilities are lacking for two floor operation as above outlined. Insuch houses, however, the problem still re-, mains of finding some meansof breaking down the stack of boxes incidental to emptying the fruittherefrom.

It is accordingly an provide a. stack dumper which receivesa stack ofboxes on a given floor, breaks this down. and delivers the fruit fromeach of the boxes thereof to apparatus operating-on the same floor. Inold stack dumpers, it was necessary to provide a pit in the floor onwhich the stack dumper was installed to contain a considerable quantityof the operating mechanism of the dumper. This of course made anyinstallation of one of these old stack dumpers a rather permanent affairand also made this quite expensive.

It is a further object of vide a stack dumper, the operating mechanismof which is disposed entirely above the level of the floor on which itrests, thereby eliminating .55 the necessity of a pit being provided inthe floor field boxes and dumping til? object of my invention to toaccommodate a portion of the mechanism of the device and permitting thelocation of the I dumper on the flOO'fvtO be changed comparativelyeasily.

Other objects of my invention have to do with 5 the provision of a stackdumper which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, of longlife, and one which is ei'licient in operation and requires a relativelysmall amount of power to operate the same.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of myinvention.

an. 2 is a fragmentary plan view looking in the direction of the arrow 2of Fig. 1.

'Fig. 3 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-4 ofFig. 1.

Fig. Us a fragmentary perspective view. of a portion of the mechanismshown in Fig. 3..

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 3. v

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5, showing the operation ofthe mechanism thereof.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view partly in section showing the dump ncpofltion Of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary, vertical sec- 3 tional views showingsuccessive stages in the operation of the mechanism disclosed therein.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line "-4! of Fig. .1.

Fig, 11 is an enlarged, cross sectional view taken 36 on the line LI-llof Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is an end elevational view looking in the direction of the arrowH of Fig. '7.

Fig. '13 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5, showing the operation ofa portion of the mech- 40 anism shown therein.

Referring specifically to the drawings, a stack dumping machine llcomprising a preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in Fig. 1,this machine including a base II, a stack receiver 12, a stack incliningmechanism It and a box invetting unit. ll.

Base 11 end of each of the posts 19 as or otherwise secured on the is aspring pressed arm 29 having a latch tooth 2I formed thereon. Extendingupward from each of the bars I6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is a plate23 having idle sprockets 24 and 25 rotatably mounted thereon; thepurpose of the sprockets 24 and 25 will be described hereinafter.Slidable horizontally in bearings 26 provided on the outer faces of thebars I6 are shafts 21, each of the latter having a fixed collar 28 and aheavy compression spring 29 provided thereon.

Stack receiver 12 The stack receiver I2 includes a shaft nailed inbearings 35' on the bars I6 as shown in Figs. 3 and 12. Fixed on one endof the shaft 34 are large and small sprockets 35a and 36 respectively,and secured on the shaft 34 between the bearings 35 is a pulley 3I.Rockably mounted on the shaft 34 adjacent the ends of the pulley 3,1 arechannel iron bars 39 secured together in spaced relation by tie rods 49as shown in Figs. 5 and 11. Fixed on each of the channel bars 39adjacent the upper ends thereof is an outward extending angle bracket 4|having a rubber pad 42 on the face thereof as seen in Fig. 1. Welded,outer faces of the channel bars 39 are arms 43 having diagonal braces 44fixed thereto. Fixed to the extremity of each of the arms 43 is one endof a chain 45, the latter being trained about the sprockets 24 and 26and secured at its opposite end to one end of the bar 21 of the base II.

Mounted on the channel iron bars 39 of the stack receiver I2 are anglebars 49, the ends of the extremities of the bars 39 as seen in Figs. 1and 4. Bolted to the upper, overhanging portions adjustable bearings 49in which trunnions 59 of an idle pulley 5I are journalled. Trained aboutthe pulleys 5| and 31 is an endless belt or draper 52, the upper flightof which is supported on rollers 53 journalled at their ends in theangle bars 49 as shown in Figs. 1 and 11.

. Secured to the channel bars 39 of the stack receiver I2 are offsetarms 55 to which side plates 56 are secured. As shown in Fig. 11,apertured ears 5'! are provided on the side plates 56 for rotatablyreceiving a rod 59, the latter having an arm 59 provided centrallythereon and arms 69 on the extremities thereof. Slidably mounted on eachside of the stack receiver I2, in bearings62 provided on the angle bars48, is a shaft 63 having an arm 64 on the lower end thereof, each of thearms 64 having an arcuate lateral extension 65 thereon as shown in Figs.3 and, 12. Fixed on the opposite end of each of the shafts 63 is an arm66, the extremity of which is urged against a bar 61 provided on theoffset arms 55 by an extension spring 69, as shown in Figs. 1 and 11.Provided on the shafts 63 are fixed collars I9 and sliding sleeves 1Ibetween which compression springs I2 are mounted. Pivotally connected tothe sleeve H of each of the shafts 63 is one end of a connecting rod I3,the opposite end thereof being pivotally mounted on one of the bars I6of the 'base II as shown in Fig. 1.

Movement of the stack receiver I2 from the position in which it. isshown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 7 .is controlled by a pair ofhydraulic cylinders I5, the lower ends of which are fixed to a shaft I6rotatably mounted in bearings "on the chann'els I6. Extending from awrist pin I8 on the diagonal braces 44 into the upper ghds of" thecylinders 15 are rods I9 having pis- 76 gitons 89 on the ends thereof asshown in Fig. 1.

of the angle bars 49 are.

ders 15 with the portions thereof above the pistons 99. Connecting thepipes 9|, as seen in Fig. 2, is a pressure equalizing pipe 93.

Stack inclining mechanism 13;},

The mechanism I3 shown in Figs. 3456-6 inclusive, includes an idle stackpqnveyor 99-co mprising a pair of angle ironbars 9| .pivotally'mountedon a shaft 92 extending between the channelbars I6 of the base II.Mounted on the bars 9 I.are rollers 93, the bars 9| being joined invspaced relation by a bar 94. secured at its opposite ends to the channeliron bars I6 is an 'angle bar 96 having an L-shaped bracket 91 mQuntedoen-" trally thereon. Pivoted on the extremity of the. bracket 97 is aspring pressed latch arm 99 for normally retaining the conveyor 99 inhorizontal position as shown in Fig. 5. Rotatably mounted I6 adjacentthe angle iron bar- I99 having upstanding arms I9I fixed with the upperedge-oi the angle iron bar 96 in a manner to be described hereinafter.

Extending from the shaft.I99 -to the under side of the bar 94 of theconveyor 99 is a pair of arms I94. The shaft I99 is normally urged tothe position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 by extension springs I99extending from the arms I9I to the angle iron bar 96.

Hung below the bars I6 is a transverse bar II9 for limiting the downwardmovement of the conveyor 99 as shown in Fig. 6. Pivotally mounted oneach end of the angle iron bar 96, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is a leverII2, one end of which extends under the extremity of the finger I92while the opposite end thereof is disposed in position to contact thelowermost extremity of the angle bars 49 of the stack receiver I2.

B02: inverting unit 14 The unit I4 includes an empty box conveyor II6, afruit conveyor II! and a box inverting mechanism II 9. The frame II5includes corner posts I2I and I22 extending upward base I I. Fixed onthe upper ends of the posts I2I and I22 are horizontal bars I23 havingpairs of bearings I24 and I25 mounted thereon, as shown in Fig. 2.

The conveyor I I6 includes guide rails I26 mounted above the bars I23.Journalled in the bearings I24 is a shaft I29 having a pair of V-beltpulleys I29 fixed thereon, and a sprocket I39 on one end thereof.Rotatably mounted on suitable pins provided in the bearings I25 arepulleys I32, there being endless V-belts I39 trained about the pulleysI29 and I32.

The fruit conveyor III, a portion of which is shown in Fig. 10, includesa pulley I35 rotatably mounted on bearings I36 provided on one pair ofthe posts I2I and I22 of the frame I I5. Trained about the idle pulley I35 and a similar but power driven pulley (not shown) is an endless fruitconveyor belt I31. Mounted on the posts I 2I and I22 and disposed abovethe pulley I35 is a plate I39. one side of the unit I4, as shown inMounted at Fig. 7, is a from the The box inverting mechanism II6includes a pair of vertical shafts I42 journalled in bearings I43 asshown in Fig. 10. Fixed on upper ends of the shafts I42 are discs I44having rubber tires I45 mounted thereon, and fixed on the lower ends ofthe shafts I42 are bevel gears I46. The empty box conveyor H6 and boxinverting mechanism II8 are driven by a drive shaft I40 journalled onthe posts I22 of the frame II5. Secured on the shaft I40 in meshingrelation with the bevel gears I45 are gears I40. Mounted on one end ofthe shaft I40 is a sprocket I50 aligned with thesprocket I20 of theshaft I26, there being a chain I5I trained about the sprockets I30 andI50. Fixed on the opposite end of the shaft I40 is a sprocket I53aligned with the aforementioned sprocket 26 of the shaft 24, thesprockets 36 and I53 being connected by an endless chain I54. Mounted onthe frame II5 of the box inverting unit I4 is a conveyor I56 forreceiving empty boxes from the conveyor II6.

Operation The stack receiver I2 of the machine I Is normally positionedas shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 34 thereof being driven continuously by achain I60, the latter extending from a motor M to the sprocket 35a.Stacks S of loaded field boxes B, as shown in Fig.1, are conveyed to theconveyor 90 of the stack inclining mechanism II by a con-' ventionalchain conveyor I65, 9. portion of which is shown in Fig. 5. The stackconveyor I is driven continuously at a relatively slow speed by a chainI66 extending from a sprocket I61 to a suitable motor M as shown in Fig.1.

When one of the stacks S is delivered onto the idle conveyor 90 by thepower conveyor I65. the lowermost box B of the stack pushes the latcharm 50 out of engagement with the bar 94 allowing the conveyor 50 todrop from the horizontal position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 to theinclined position shown in Fig. 6, the downward movement of the conveyor90 being limited by the bar IIO. Inclination of the conveyor 90 causesthe stack S thereon to fall from vertical position into the stackreceiver I2. The weight and momentum of the stack of boxes as this isreceived by the receiver I2 causes the latter to swing downward from theposition in'which it is shown in Fig. 1, to that shown in Fig. Z. Thehydraulic cylindersprevent the stack receiver I2 from swinging downwardtoo rapidly, it being noted that by adjusting the valves 62 of thebypass pipes 8|, the receiver I2 can be caused to fall at any desirablerate of speed.

As the stack receiver I2 falls, the connecting rod I3 forces the sleeve1I against the spring I2 causing the shaft 63 to slide upward in thebearings 62. Upward .movement of the shaft 63 brings the arms 64 thereofagainst the under side of the lowermost box B of the stack S in thestack receiver I2. When the stack receiver I2 is disposed in theposition shown in Fig. 7, the conveyor belt 52 carries the stack S inthe direction indicated by the arrow a of Fig. '7, the lowermost box Bbeing lifted onto the belt 52 as the arms 64 move to the position inwhich they are showr. in Fig. 13.

Downward movement of the receiver I2 causes the chain 45 connected tothearms 43 to slide the shaft 21 rightward as viewed in Fig. '7, thuscompressing the spring 29 between the collar 28 and bearing 26. Downwardmovement of the receiver I2 is stopped by contact of the angle bracketsH with the upper ends of the posts I9,

belt 52 conveys the tooth 2| of the arm engaging the bracket 4I so as toretain the stack receiver I2 in lowered position in which it is shown inFig. 7. As the the stack S in the direction of the arrow a of Fig. 7,the foremost box 13 engages and lifts the arm 60 causing the rod 56torotate so as to raise the arms 60 on the ends thereof, the arm 59being retained in this position by the boxes B until the last onethereof is discharged from the stack receiver I2.

The fruit of each of the boxes 3 is dumped onto the chute I as the boxespass over the pulley SI and gravitate to the position shown in Fig. 8.When in this position, the ends of the box strike the belts I33 of theconveyor II6, the box being then completely inverted and lifted up ontothe conveyor I I6 by engagement of the rotating discs I44 with the endsof the box as shown in Figs.- 9 and 10. The empty boxes are carriedacross the inverting unit I4 by the conveyor H6 and discharged onto asuitable conveyor I16. The fruit dumped onto the chute I40 is receivedby the conveyor III and carried to a soaking tank (not shown) which isthe first unit of the apparatus for preparing the fruit for market.

When the stack receiver I2 swings downward, the conveyor 90 of the stackinclining mechanism I3 is restored to horizontal position by contractionof the springs I06 which rotate the shaft I00 causing the arms I04 tolift the conveyor 90 until the bar 64 is engaged and latched in place asshown in Fig. 5 by the arm 08.

In addition to restoring the conveyor 90 from inclined to horizontalposition, the arms I04 also function to retain the conveyor 90 inhorizontal position under certain conditions in the following manner.When the receiver I2 swings downward to dump a' stack, the lowerextremities of the angle iron bars 46 are raised out of contact with thelevers II2 (shown 'in Figs. 3 and 4) causing the notched fingers I02 tocome to rest on the upper edge of the transverse angle iron bar 66.Then, when the conveyor is'restored to horizontal position bycontraction of the springs I06, the notches I03 of the fingers I02engage the upper edge of the angle iron bar 66 'so as to retain the armsI04 in their uppermost positions when the arm 96 is swung leftward bythe advancing on the conveyor I65 of the next stack to be dumped asshown in Fig. 13.

When the receiver I2 returns to upright position, the extremities of theangle iron bars 46 actuate the'levers I I2 which lift the fingers I02out of engagement with the bar 96 permitting the conveyor 90 to drop toinclined position causing the stack thereon to fall into the stackreceiver I2 as shown in Fig. 6.

When the last box is discharged from the stack receiver I2..the arm 59drops thus rotating the rod 56 and causing the arms 60 to strike thelatch arms 20, the latter being thereby swung in a clockwise directionas viewed in Fig. 7 so that the teeth 2| thereof moveout from over theangle brackets H. The stack receiver I2 is then swung to its uprightposition shown in Fig. 1 byexpansion of the spring 29,, the lattersliding the shaft 21 so that the chain attached thereto pulls on the arm43 of the receiver I2.

Although I have shown and described but one preferred form of myinvention, it is to be understood that various modifications and changesmight be made therein without departing from the spirit of the inventionor the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

\ loaded stack of boxes to.a

1. In a machine for dumping the fruit from a stack of loaded fleldboxes, the combination of a frame; stack receiving means pivotallymounted on said frame, said stack receiving means having a substantiallyvertical stack receiving position and a substantially horizontal boxdischarging position; means for yieldably urging said stack receivingmeans to said substantially vertical position; boxes to said stackreceiving means; means for causing a stack on said conveyor to becomeunbalanced so as to cause said stack to fall into said stack receivingmeans, said stack receiving means moving to said horizontal position inresponse to receiving said stack; a conveyor on said stack receivingmeans for moving said stack of boxes toward the discharge end of saidstack receiving means; and means for overturning each box as it isdischarged from said stack receiving means. 2. A combination as in claim1 in which latch means is provided to retain said stack receiving meansin said horizontal position; and means for unlatching said latch meansin response to the discharge of the last box of a stack from said stackreceiving means. 3. A combination as in claim 1 in which control meansis provided to permit said stack overbal ancing means to function onlywhen said stack receiving means is in said vertical position.

4. In a stack dumping machine. the combination of: a stack disassemblingconveyor pivotally supported at its lower end, said conveyor beingadapted to receive a stack of loaded boxes when said conveyor is insubstantially upright position, and to tilt about said pivot to asubstantially reclining position; means to deliver a position adjacentto the aforesaid disassembling conveyor; means responsive to saiddelivery for causing said stack to become overbalanced so as to causethe latter to tilt towards, and the weight of said stack to be thrownagainst said conveyor with sufficient force to cause said conveyor toswing from stack receiving position to its reclining position; and powermeans for causing said stack to travel toward the discharge end of saidconveyor when the latter is in reclining position to dump the boxes ofthe stack successively from the discharge end of said conveyor.

5. In a stack handling machine the combination of: a stack feed meansadapted to carry a row of stacks of boxes or the like and deliver thesein succession to a given point; a draper supporting frame ,mea'ns forpivotally supporting said frame'at its lower end about an axis adjacentsaid point of delivery; a draper provided on said frame; means forlifting said frame to a substantially upright position when said draperis empty; means for causing a stack of boxes located at said point ofdelivery to become overbalanced when said frame is in said uprightposition to cause said stack to tilt against said draper and by itsweight overcome said frame lifting means and cause said frame and draperto be swung downwardly into a substantially reclining position; meansfor lifting the lowermost box in said stack to cause said box to rest onsaid draper when the latter has reached the aforesaid re cliningposition; and means for transmitting motion to said draper to cause thelatter to feed the boxes of the stack resting thereon successively fromthe upper end of said draper.

6. In a stack handling machine the combination of: a stack feed meansadapted to carry a row of stacks of boxes or the like and deliver aconveyor for delivering a stack of these in succession to a given point;a draper supporting frame; a shaft adjacent said point of delivery forpivotally supporting the lower end of said frame; a draper provided onsaid frame; means for swinging said frame about said shaft to asubstantially upright position when said draper is empty; means forcausing a stack of boxes located at said point of delivery to becomeoverbalanced when said frame is in said upright position to cause saidstack to tilt against said draper and by its weight overcome said framelifting means and cause said frame and draper to be swung downwardlyinto a substantially reclining position; means for lifting the lowermostbox in said stack to cause said box to rest on said draper when thelatter has reached the aforesaid reclining position; and means fortransmitting motion through said shaft to said draper to cause thelatter to feed the boxes of the stack resting thereon successively fromthe upper end of said draper.

7. A combination as in claim 6 in which said draper includes an endlessbelt member, a driven pulley and a drive pulley, said driven pulleybeing pivotally mounted at the upper end of said frame and said drivepulley being mounted on said shaft.

8. In a stack handling machine the combination of a stack feed meansadapted to carry a row of stacks of boxes or the like and deliver thesein succession to a given point; means for supporting each of said stackswhen it arrives at said point of delivery; an individual stack conveyor;means for pivotally supporting said conveyor at one end thereof on anaxis adjacent said point; means for yieldably swinging said conveyorinto a substantially upright position when said conveyor is empty; andmeans actuated by the upward swinging of said conveyor to cause saidsupport means to rock, thereby tilting the stack supported thereonagainst said conveyor with suiilcient force to swing said conveyordownwardly about said axis into a substantially reclining position topermit the successive discharge of the boxes in said stack from saidconveyor.

9. In a stack handling machine the combination of: a stack feed meansadapted to carry a row of stacks of boxes or the like and deliver thesein succession to a given point; means for position to permit thesuccessive discharge of V the boxes in said stack from said conveyor;and means provided on the lower end of said conveyor to swing upwardlywhen said conveyor is swung downwardly so as to lift the lowermost boxof the stack lying against said conveyor and retain said lowermost boxon said conveyor as the latter swings into its reclining position. 10. Acombination as in claim 8 in which means is provided on said conveyorfor propelling thereover the boxes of the stack supportedthereon whensaid conveyor is in reclining position.

11. In a box dumping machine the combination of: means for receivingfruit dumped from boxes; means disposed above said fruit receiving meansfor receiving empty boxes; means for feeding boxes to a position fordumping the contents of these boxes into said fruit receiving means; apair of wheels disposed opposite the ends of a box when disposed in saiddumping position and spaced apart so that their peripheries tangentiallyengage opposite end faces of said box; and means for rotating saidwheels to cause the latter to at least complete the inversion of saidbox and the dumping of the contents therefrom and to shift the empty boxon to said empty box receiving means.

12. In a box dumping machine the combination of: fulcrum means adjacenta box dumping position and by which the boxes are adapted to be rockedto efiect the dumping of the contents therefrom; means for delivering abox into proximity with said fulcrum means; and a pair of rotaryelements disposed for tangentially engaging opposite end faces of saidbox to rock said box about said fulcrum means to effect the discharge ofthe fruit from the box by gravity.

13. A combination as in claim 12 in which said fulcrum means comprises apair of conveyors disposed substantially beneath the ends of said boxand adapted to convey the empty box away from said dumping position.

14. In a box dumping machine the combination of fulcrum means adjacent'abox dumping position and by which the boxes are adapted to be rocked toeffect the dumping of the contents therefrom; means for delivering a boxinto proximity with said fulcrum means; and a pair of rotary elementsrotating about upright axes and disposed for tangentially engagingopposite end faces of said box to rock said box about said fulcrum meansto efiect the discharge of the fruit from the box by gravity.

15. In a box dumping machine the combination of: fulcrum means adjacenta box dumping position and by which the boxes are adapted to be rockedto effect the dumping of the contents therefrom; means for delivering abox into proximity with said fulcrum means; and a pair of rotaryelements rotating about substantially par-, allel axes and disposed fortangentially engaging opposite end faces of said box to rock said boxabout said fulcrum means to effect the discharge of the fruit from thebox bygravity.

16. In a box dumping machine the combination of: fulcrum means adjacenta box dumping position and by which .the boxes are adapted to be rockedto effect the dumping of the contents therefrom; means for delivering abox intoproximity with said fulcrum-means; and a pair of rotary elementsrotating about substantially parallel upright axes and disposed fortangentially engaging opposite end faces of said box to rock said boxabout said fulcrum means to effect the discharge of the fruit from thebox by gravity.

17. In a stack dumping machine, the combination of 2 means for receivinga stack of boxes in substantially upright position, and while supportingsaid stack along the side thereof,;per-

vmitting said stack to yieldingly rock downwardly with said means into areclining but upwardly inclined position; means to halt said rockingmovement of said stack with the latter in said upwardly inclinedposition; and means for raising the center of gravity of the stack as awhole along its longitudinal .axis to lift each of the boxes thereof tothe' level of the uppermost box and to discharge the boxes successivelyfrom the I stack receiving means.

18. In a stack dumping machine the combination of: means for deliveringstacks of boxes in upright position successively to a given point; meansfor causing the foremost of said stacks to fall from upright position ina given-direction;

and means for receiving each stack thus falling to support said stackand to respond to the momentum of said stack to lower the latter into asubstantially reclining position, said last mentioned means lifting thelowermost box in said stack in said operation to position the sameupwardly from where it was positioned when said stack started to fall.

19. In a stack dumping machine the combination of: means for deliveringstacks of boxes in upright position successively to a given point; meansfor causing the foremost of said stacks to fall from upright position ina given direction; means for receiving said stack as it falls androtating said stack about an axis disposed in advance of the center ofgravity of said stack when the latter started to fall; and means forconveying the boxes of said stack successively from said stack receivingmeans.

20. A combination as in claim 19 in which a stack receiving means lowerssaid stack into an upwardly inclined position, and in which said boxconveying means is power operated to lift said boxes in discharging thesame from said stack receiving means.

HALE PAXTON.

